BURRATOR Reservoir's wide range of historic buildings, archaeological sites and the surrounding natural landscape recently came a step closer to being unlocked and preserved for a new range of visitors.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded a first-round pass to South West Lakes Trust (SWLT), the region's largest environmental and recreational charity, to develop a new project which will make Burrator a place to discover and learn about the rich built and natural heritage of Dartmoor.

The charity will recruit a development officer to work with local people and visitors to bring the project together in a full application for funding later this year.

Evelyn Stacey, director of South West Lakes Trust, said: 'This development project will help unlock the potential of the lake, landscape and heritage in the Burrator catchment.

'Ultimately, it is about protecting and enhancing both the natural and historic environment at Burrator Reservoir for today's visitors and future generations while promoting intellectual and physical access.'

Nerys Watts, head of Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: 'This project has the potential to provide real benefits to the historic buildings and natural heritage of the Burrator Reservoir landscape.'

The development project will focus on the Built Heritage. Burrator Reservoir hosts a wide range of historic buildings and features and the project looks to incorporate as many sites within the SWLT managed area as possible.

Sites date from 2,500BC to the period when many medieval and more recent farms were abandoned to make way for the reservoir in the late 1800s and the natural environment.

The ecological value of Burrator Reservoir is also high and boasts a number of Biodiversity Action Plan species and habitats which require specific management regimes.